Amalgamator.



0. 0. HASKELL.

AMALGAMATOR. 7 APPLICATION FILED JULY 3. I912. RENEWED N. H, 1915- Patentd Aug. 3,

- In ve znfior. C /mzieo aJz aqzieli UNITED STATES PATENT oimicn,

cmnnns o. HASKELL, or Losnncnnns, camronma, assicnoanr unsnn ream;

MENTS, r cnmmucnnnacnmnnr COMPANY, on nos mom-Es, cnmnm, v

,A. CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

Specification of Letterslatent.

AMALGAMAEOR Application filed m 3, 1912, Serial No. 707,515. Renewed, an, 11,1915. vsernu 'wo. 1,7115."

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES 0. Helena, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Amalgamators for e v Use in Extracting Gold from Gold-Bearing Material, of which the following is a speci-. flcation. I v

My invention relatesto an improved apparatus for amalgamating and separating gold, or other metal, from the ore. Heretofore it has been customaryto depend upon gravity to cause the particles of gold to settle into the mercury. This is unsatisfactory in many instances due to the factthat the gold bearing material as it comes from the stamp mill is often in a slimy condition, due to excessive hammering in the mill, and floats on top of the ore. Furthermore, if the gold is coated with oilit also tends to float on a liquid vehicle carrying the ore.

The object of my invention is to obviate these difliculties and for that purpose I have devised a centrifugal machine provided with a plurality of amalgam chambers in the path of the ore bearing vehicle, the operation of which causes the gold to bepositively forced into contact with the mercury, thus insuring complete amalgamation.

It is also an object to provide what I term an expansion dome which prevents any of the mercury from passing ofl in aslug.

I accomplish this object by means of the-- apparatus described herein and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a central vertical section of my device. Fig. 2 is a detail section showing the mercury as spread over the vertical wall in the mercury chamber parallel with the peripheral edge of the flange by the centrifugal action of the amalgamator.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, 1 represents a base on which are supported the columns 2, carrying at their top the cross head 3, all held together by long bolts provided with suitable securing means. The columns. 2 are preferably formed of cylindrical sections of Various lengths, between which are interposed the various frames carrying the bearings for the revolving member. Supported centrally in the base and cross tween the two shelves or y and 10, these latter being supported by the;

ters with threads cut on the head is the hollow shaft composed of two the, amalgamator member Ifatented Aug. 3, 191-5.

Between the two sections of a i the two shaft sections serving as passing through the amalgamator. Suitable I. packing glands 7 surround the free ends ofthe shafts and are axially chambered to'continue the passages formed bythe shaft sections, sultable threaded ends being provided 111 these chambers to attach pipes thereto to i convey the ore bearing medium, dry process. On the lower shaft. section 6 is mounted the drive pulley 8, supported bejournalsupports 9 sections 11 and 12 of the columns.

by wet or Ball bearings 13 are provided iii-each support and a thrust bearing support 14 is arranged in the support 10 to carry the weight of a revolving member which'constitutes' the amalgamator housing and consists 'of the lower hemispherical bowl 15 provided with the threaded inner periphery which regiscry of the inverted bowl 16. Each one of these bowls 15 and 16' has a concentric threaded opening adapted to' be securedto the threaded ends of the respective shaft sections 5 and 6. The shaft section 6 isextended above the floor of the bowl 15 and passes through the mercury chamber 17 rim or lip 19 adjacent its-upper end-which engages with a corresponding lip :20 onthe bowl 16 to form an annular trough 18 for. containing mercury, which is adapted to be ber 17 outer periphtherein, .to support above this latter the ter-l minal hood. The bowl 15 is formed witha I in the chamber 17 and through which the mercury will travel and enter the channel 18 by the centrifugal action set up when the housing isrevolved. Suitable exit openings to withdraw the amalgam from the chambers are shown at 23 and 24.

A number of conical lugsacting as spacers, preferably four, are provided in the lower portionof the bowl 15, formed with conical recesses adapted to receive conical studs 26 -.formed on the lower ,segment 28 of theexpansionor secondary a1nelgamation chandler.- This chamber is composed of a lower apertured segment and the hemispherical expansion dome or top 29, each being pro *ided with annular rims as and. 31,1.adapted' to receive a plurahty of securing. devices.

plateor. diskBQ provided onvits outer pcriphery with a widened formed by in- I Cllnmg the'surfaces ofthe plate away from each other, thus form ng an annular channel The annular disk is so situated that its outer periphery 34 extends into: the trouglror chamber 18. To securely hold the.

two sections 28 and 291and the'dislc together bolts 35 arepassedthroughtherims and ,31 and, the dish 32. "When thus assembled a. secondary amalgamation chamber is rigidlyh'eld in the-primary chamber by the holts .36 threaded'in the bowl 16, the bolts being locked oy nuts 37. The inner ends of the bolts hear'on thesecondary chamber and force the studs 26 to their conically formed seats in the lugs, which also act as spacers.

- Situatec its lower surfaces concentrically formed in ing relation to the-inner surface of the segment 3 28',is'a boWl'39 threaded a-t its apertured base to the upper end: of the Lower shaft section. The top of the bowl 4&0 acts as a de+ fleeting flange, being provided with an aperture -11 formed w th an annular lip, prQ ectslightly above the planeoi 'the'top surface.

The siphon fil'ezitending from the bottom of the'trough 17 to the trough 18 shown as a bent tube Wltl'l a yoke eicarried half Way around the shaft 6, but grooves may be formedinthe Walls end inclosed to per-' form the same function. Holes. are formed in the Walls. of the siphon. 21 througliwhich the mercury passes and by the centrifugzd action carries it up Without possible interruption by the current of the ore bearing medium. Exit is through the opening i6 placed in the side of the closed end of'the tube, aposition away from the direction of,rotation. The operation of my improved amalgeinator is as followsiMen.

cury having been deposited in trougl1's 17 and 18 the device is set in rotationby connecting the pulley 8 to any suitable source of power. Oresuitahly mixed with air or water is thenforced by pressmje info the amalgamator'through the top section the shaft into the first section of the amalgamation chamber.

o in the trough 18, clearly and leaves a narrower channel for ore Mounted be tween the two runs 30 and 31 18 an annular i in the secondary chamber and The rotation of the de vice causes the mercury i: sore/ad out ivard shown in r- 1g. 2,

meagre to treversef' From the mercury travels upward in e thin film on loner trongh if? the. i

the sides of the chember Where'it meetsthe' ore passing over'thelip 19 and continues'on through the circuitous channel formed by the other Walls of the component parts of the amalgamating member. The ore is thus forcibly impinged againstthe mercury by the centrifugal force and intimatelyinixes v with it and ino cloggingr is permitted, resulting in a complete amalgamation of the metals. The ore is then carriedon through v the channel'of general concentric form until it reaches thev expansion chamber alcove the iiange 451, Where the heavier. particles; in the pulp are compelled tolslide of? and carried down and out, especially small globules of amalgam, andthe material less the values 7 passes int-o the exit opening 7 and vthrough the lower section of the shaft. It has heeng found by actual operation of thedevice that if the expansion. dome and the deflecting,

flange 41 are not provided some hi the men cury as amalgam will pass outofthe me-v chine in. lumps or slugs, v i

curytroughonits inner surface, an eX pan-. 1.00

sion chamber nounted Withinsaid drum and communicating at its lowerend with the in I s standing still.

teriorof said drum, means for rotatingisuid drum and said expansion chamber, and" means for supplylng ore to the upper por-,

tion of said drum above said mercury I trough. 2. A

centrifugal amalgainating device,

comprisinga hollow revoluble body proyicedwith mercury troughs on its inner cur-1110 face, a dome-,mounted centrally thereof forming an upwardly expanding chamber, a1

discharge pipe mounted'a-Xially of; said foody, 7

said discharge pipe ab'eing proy ided with a deflecting flange, and ineans ior -si'1pply1ng 1 ore to said body above said mercury troughs:

3; A centrifugal amalgainating device, i

comprising :1 hollow .revolufole body provided with -mercury troughs on its inner surface, a

dome mounted centrally thereof forming-an v expansion chamber, means-for supplying ore to said oody, means for discharging the ore residue therefrom comprising a pipe mount+ A ed axially of said body and extending Within said dome and pllOilflfid within seiddomemo with an upwardly deflecting flange and i'ueans for rotating said body. I

in A. centrifugal amalgeinating device, 1

comprising a hollow nrevoiulole fspherical body provided with mercury troughs on its masses inner surface, a dome mounted centrally to form an expansion chamber within said body and rotating therewith, a discharge pipe mounted axially of. sa d body, and means for supplying ore to said body,

5. A centrifugal anialgainating device,

comprising a hollow revoluble body provided with mercury troughs in its well outside of but opening to its inner surface and means for rotating the same, a dome mounted centrally thereof to form an expansion chamber, means for supplying ore to said body, means for discharging the ore residue therefrom comprising a pipe mounted aXially of said body and extending within said dome, and means for rotating said body and said dome. 6. in a centrifugal machine of the class described, in combination, an outer shell having an annular trough in the wall thereof opening on'the inner surface of said shell, an inner shell disposed within said outer shell, said inner shell being of smaller dimensions than said outer shell whereby aspace is formed between said shells, said in ner shell having a free opening communicating with said space, means for introducing ore into said outer shell, means for rotating said shells in unison whereby the ore passes into said inner shell from said outer shell, and means for withdrawing orefroni said inner shell on said axis of rotation.

7. In a centrifugal machine of the class described, in combination, an outer shell having an annular mercury trough formed therein and having a mercury trough at the base thereof, an inner shell forming an expansion chamber within said outer shell and havinga mouth on the lower side thereof projecting downward and inward toward said second named mercury trough, means for revolving the shells, and means for withdrawing the ore from the interior of said expansion chamber and on. the axis of rotation of said shells.

' 8. In a centrifugal machine of the class described, comhination, an outer shell 'havine annular trough in tie wall theresaid inner shell through said opening and through the hottcni of said outer fiell, means for supplyingcre to said chamber, and means for rotating said shells upon the axis of said discharge tube,

9, A centrifugal amalgamator, comprising an outer shell having an annular trough in the wall thereof, an inner shell mounted within said outer shell adapted to form a concentric space between the walls of said shells, and an annular disk secured to said inner shell, and adapted to register in said annular trough, whereby a circuitous channel is formed around said walls and through said trough.

10. A centrifugal arnalgainator, comprising an outer shell having a plurality of annular mercury troughs on its inner surface, and conduit means to connect said troughs whereby mercury will be carried from one trough to the other by centrifugal action without interruption from a reverse current of pulp carried in said shell.

In witness that. I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 24th day of June, 191-2.

Q. EASKELL,

/Vitnesses EDMUND A. STRAUsE, EARLE R. POLLARD. 

